Dark Princess
by GoldenGoddess1
Summary: My second Rhapsody fic! Yeah! A prequel/au to Silver Lining. r&r!
1. Default Chapter

Dark Princess

By GoldenGoddess

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Author's Note: *praying* Lord, please don't let the reviewers kill me! Please, please don't let them kill me! *glances up* Oh, heh heh, hi! Well, this is the sequel/au2x of my other Rhapsody fic: Silver Lining. It's an au2x because Silver Lining already was an au, and this is an alter universe from that, so..... I decided to call the story Dark Princess because the Rhapsody sequels were Little Princess and Puppet Princess. On with the fic!

Disclaimer:I don't own the game, but when I grow up, I'm gonna do a re-make and bring the sequels to the US of A! Until then, I own nothing in this chapter.

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_Prologue_

  


Beauty Castle: home of the four members of the Marjoly Family. Of course, they were human, to some extent, and mankind is an animal. And the objective of all creatures is, as they say, to continue the species.

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_Chapter One: Marjoly's Dilemma_

Marjoly leaned over the toilet, vomiting what she had eaten that morning and the day before. About a week ago, she had started having these strange food cravings. And now, all that was coming up. She straightened, feeling tired and sick and hungry and tired and angry because whywhywhy was this happening? What was this anyway? The witch lowered her head as she began to retch again.

  


"Marjoly, meow? Are you okay, meow?"

  


"No, I am not okay! Do I look okay?!"she roared, spinning around the face Myao. Her face was pale, her eyes had dark circles under them, and their was vomit on her lips. Myao winced.

  


"No, meow, I guess not."

  


"Then go away!"

  


The cat girl left, closing the door behind her. Marjoly could hear her talking with Crowdia and Gao, surprised at the concern in their voices. Making her way to the sink, she looked at herself. 'When did I get so ugly?'she thought. In truth, she was still beautiful, but in her mind she was hideous. Her hand strayed to her stomach. 'And I'm getting fat, too!' Marjoly glared down. There was a slight bulge where her flat stomach had been. 'I should stop eating, maybe for three months to make sure this doesn't happen again!' She washed her face, flushed the toilet, and exited the bathroom.

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_Three months later...._

  


Marjoly moaned in pain. It felt like something had kicked her from within. And she was so hungry.....

  


'No! No food!'she thought angrily. Her stomach had simply grown larger in the three month fast. But she was so much hungrier than she had ever been before. Her stomach growled, as angry as she. "Fine! Just a little snack...." The witch hauled herself out of bed, feet unsteady on the Ninetail fur carpet. She rung the bell beside the door, summoning two sleepy Nyanko servants.

  


"Yes, meow, Mistress Marjoly, meow?"they said in unison.

  


"I would like...,"her thoughts strayed to the feast Myao, Crowdia, and Gao had tried to tempt her with earlier that day. She sighed in defeat. "Two tubs of ice cream:Rocky Road and Neapolitan. A super-sized jar of pickles, whatever is popular in Frogburg and Marls, twenty Bobos, have Burg cook me up some Toad BBQ....."

__________

She finished her food, smacking her lips with satisfaction. Most of the pain was gone, though her belly still ached a little. Nearly every morning Marjoly had to visit the bathroom and throw up.

  


"Man, I'm going to be at the toilet for hours with what I just ate,"she said to herself. The Nyankos rushed in, picked up the dishes, and left. Marjoly lay back in her enormous bed, sighed, and fell into a fitful sleep.

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_Two months later...._

  


Marjoly lounged on her throne, rubbing a hand over her stomach. She gazed absently at the ceiling, feeling depressed and ugly. Crowdia glanced at her mistress, then at the book she was reading. Marjoly peered at the cover. The words were in some foreign language, probably Zhekc, so she could not understand them.

  


"Crowdia, what are you reading?"

  


The swordswoman answered,"Just trying to find out what is wrong with you."

  


"Have you got it?"

  


Crowdia closed the book. Dust blew from the pages into Marjoly's face. She sneezed. "I do."

  


"What is it?!"

  


"Your pregnant."

  


It took a second to get through. "Your joking, right?"asked the witch, laughing prettily. "I cannot be pregnant, I have a reputation to maintain."

  


"Being with child will maintain your reputation,"mumbled Crowdia.

  


"Oh, as what?"snapped the witch. "As a tramp? Is that how people see me?"

  


"No, don't worry."

  


"Hmph!"she leaned back in her throne. "How long do these things take?"

  


"Roughly nine months for a human woman,"she said. "But, seeing as the Marjoly Family is descended from the Ancients, about seven for you."

  


"What?! How far along am I then?"

  


Crowdia shrugged and said,"Six, almost seven."

  


There was a cracking sound and Myao and Gao fell from the ceiling. They chuckled nervously. "So, who's the father?"asked Gao.

  


Marjoly frowned down at the two. She considered it. "Well, it must be-"she stopped and moaned, clutching her stomach. The other three stared at her.

  


"Meow, Marjoly, meow, we gotta get you to a hospital!"

  


"No!"growled the witch when Gao tried to pick her up. "I don't want this getting out! Take me to the living room. I'll conjure a mid-wife." With a wave of her hand, a plump, old, woman appeared.

  


"Get some towels and hot water!"she snapped at Myao and Crowdia. "Hurry up!"

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Ha ha! Left ya hanging, didn't I?! Don't worry, next chapter will continue. I might make the baby still-born, Marjoly doesn't go through enough pain in her life. No, I'm not sadistic, don't flame. This is like a pilot chapter. So, review and see what happens Bye for now.


	2. Chapter Two

Dark Princess

By GoldenGoddess

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Author's Note: Okay, I should explain things now. Since witches are different then other woman, they run differently than other woman, such as the aging process and other things. This is my excuse for why Marjoly had her baby two months earlier than is normal. Witches go through seven month pregnancies. They mature (physically) quickly and age slowly. I shortened it 'cause, let's face it, I don't know ANYTHING about the 'miracle of life'. Okay, I know the first part *winkwink*, but I don't know how it feels like to be pregnant or to go through labor. So there! :p Short chapter.

  


Annie's Note: Finally updated....sorry for being so mean to you, first reviewer! And, ugh, you're right, I am tired of Silver Lining.

Cornet-( You made a commitment!

And I plan to stay true to it. I just prefer this story now! ^-^ Oh, and yukito (sp?), do you think the idenity of the father is important? Eh, you'll find out soon enough. And, hm, I should say, Crowdia is _so_ out-of-character.

  


Disclaimer:I don't own the game, but when I grow up, I'm gonna do a re-make and bring the sequels to the US of A! Until then, I own nothing in this chapter.

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_Chapter Two: Complications_

  


Marjoly's screaming could be heard through the thick walls, into the room outside where Mao, Gao, and Crowdia waited. Gao was pacing back and forth, tail occasionally twitching. Myao lay on the thick carpet, rubbing the stomach of one of her Nyankos, who purred loudly. Crowdia sat on the window sill, looking down at the land so far beneath them.

  


"So, uh, whodya think the father is?"asked Gao.

  


Myao shrugged, scratching the Nyanko behind the ears. "Who can tell with Marjoly?"

  


Crowdia sighed, then picked up the book next to her, flipping to the chapter about children. She wondered if Marjoly would keep the little one, abandon it, or use it for her spells. There _were_ spells that needed parts from an infant. But would the witch be so heartless as to slay her own?

  


Several hours passed, so many that Crowdia lost count. Myao lay sprawled on the floor, a Nyanko and Nyanchi were using her belly as a pillow. Occupying the couch was Gao, snoring louder than a dragon's roar, a thin line of drool making its way down her cheek. Crowdia grimaced at the site. It was disgusting. Leaning against the ice-cold glass, wondering what the humans below were doing at this time. Hundreds of births were taking place, and it seemed as if only Marjoly's had no father.

  


"Worried, huh?" Crowdia glanced up. Gao. She had obviously been feinting sleep, now making her way to the sill and sitting beside her companion. Crowdia nodded wordlessly.

  


"Don't. Even though Marjoly is a total ditz, she might be a good mother, who knows?" said Gao.

  


"Hn." The swordswoman returned her gaze to the window. She knew how children came to be, she was educated, the union of a man and a woman. But this..._thing_ intruded upon the tightly woven net that was the Family. It was foreign, an alien in their home. Its father had already imposed so, now to leave his mark....

  


"Is it about Marjoly?" She twisted around, startled, and met Gao's eyes. "Even if she sucks as a parent, the kid'll have three backups, right?"

  


It's more than that, thought Crowdia, and Gao could never understand. Not in all the years we have lived, nor in all the years we will. But she tried to tell her anyway. "For this to happen-"

  


"Wait a minute!" Gao said, putting her hands up to emphasize her words. "I-well, Crowdia, I don't know much about this, about, you know, your, er, feelings. But are you sure? I mean, it _is_ kinda weird...."

  


Crowdia stood. "Of course. Forget I said anything." She started to leave.

  


Gao called, "Crow!" and she stopped, looking over her shoulder. "...never-never mind."

__________

  


Marjoly let out another cry, hearing it echo off of the walls and return to her. The pain was blinding, she felt like she was being torn asunder by the unbelievable power of the baby within her. The midwife was calm, talking her through it, helping the witch along. Then, for a split second, Marjoly was at peace. No sound, sight, or feeling, none but a tiny beat, much like her own heart, but smaller. And no sight, except for ther purplish-blue skin of the newborn. And no feeling, but for the sense of another creature in the room, its small light-life shining brightly. She stopped worrying about the horrible stretch marks and the veins and pain, in awe of the fact that she had brought this little person into the world.

  


All sense returned. Marjoly winced at the wail the baby emitted, the stomach-turning site of her fluids, the ache of her lower body.

  


"Oh, Goddess help me if I do _that_ again!"

__________

  


"So, what is it?"

  


Marjoly slapped away Myao's hand, reaching for her baby, who was so tender and beautiful and frail that no stupid cat-girl could touch it, ever. And she said so.

  


"Yeah, well, it looks like an alien!" Myao pulled back the sides of her face and made a mean expression at the newborn. It ignored her, turning its head to Marjoly's breast.

  


"Ha ha ha ha ha! Looks like she has my sense of dignity!"shouted Marjoly triumphantly.

  


They were in the Baby Room, the place where every Marjoly Family child speant the first years of their life. Marjoly herself claimed the Mother's Bed, leaving the others to squeeze into the tiny chairs or squat on the floor.

  


"So, what are you going to name her?"Gao asked. Marjoly thought a minute.

  


"I got it! Orenda,"she said happily. "Orenda Marjoly. It means magic."

  


"Clever,"put in Crowdia. No one noticed the sarcasm in her words. She glared at the infant, who hiccuped and stared back. "She has fay eyes."

  


"Pardon me?!" snapped Marjoly. "What did you say about my child!?"

  


"Fay, faerie." Crowdia pointed. One of her bright eyes was darkest purple, almost black, and the other was gray, almost black. It was at that moment Crowdia realized who the father was, and she gasped. Marjoly blushed, a rare act, and bowed her head, reading Crowdia's thoughts.

  


Myao and Gao looked at each other, then at the two witches, who seemed to be speaking without saying a word. Gao shrugged, but Myao glared still, trying to get in on the silent conversation.

  


"Who's the father?"she yelled. "Meow, who's the father?! I wanna know."

  


As Marjoly opened her mouth to speak, the midwife entered the room. She glowered at everyone, then slapped the rag she held in her hand at them. "Get out, get out, get out! The mother needs her rest! Shoo!"


End file.
